The Asylum Reforms: From Punishment to Rehabilitation

Objective: For students to be able to defend why Dorothea Dix started the asylum reforms and how she did it. Answer to Objective:

Dorothea Dix went to various prisons and asylums and took note of everything she saw. She reported her findings to state legislators who were appalled to find these horrible conditions. She also wrote many letters to petician for hospitals for curing the mentally ill. She deicided to do all of this because she didn't believe in the way the the mentally ill were treated and believed they should be able to live in better conditions.

Link to a website that supports my objective

This is a picture of Dorothea Dix, who is the woman who started the asylum reforms.

external image 250px-Dix-Dorothea-LOC.jpg
“Prison and Asylum Reform.” US History.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ushistory.org//‌d.asp>.